Prelude To Song
by Ava Cabot
Summary: The kiss was only the beginning...


Miyumi  
  
Prelude To Song  
  
A/N: part II of the arc.  
  
Disclaimer: all apply. J.K. Rowling IS a goddess.  
  
~*~  
  
- Prelude To Song-  
By: Miyumi  
  
~*~  
  
CRASH.  
  
Another mug fell to the ground, shattering to a million pieces. Glass, sparkling in the early morning sun, clinked as Tonks swept it into a dustpan, numbly aware that she could have just done a repairing charm, just as easily. Not that she cared, of course.  
  
Down the hall she heard shouts, the pawing of sheets, and then silence. Remus was dreaming again. Dreaming of things that were in the past, that could not be undone, that he wanted to change, thinking that all the shouting and crying could bring back Sirius.  
  
But it couldn't.  
  
Nothing could.  
  
"Damn everything," she muttered, throwing the pieces in the trash, slamming it shut and throwing herself into a chair.  
  
"Accio cup," she said, another mug racing towards her. She tipped her wand, hot coffee magically pouring from the thin end. She held the cup to her lips, drinking the bitter liquid like it was ambrosia, the drink of gods, and the drink of happiness.  
  
"Nothing will change," she said to herself. "Remus will hide in his room, I will keep breaking cups, and we'll live in sadness."  
  
"That's how it should be."  
  
"Should it?"  
  
Tonks turned, unfazed. Standing in the doorway was Moody, his magic eye rolling sinisterly.  
  
"Moody," she said, acknowledging him with a nod.  
  
"Nymphadora," he said warily, seeing if she'd pounce on him as usual. If it had been any other day, in any other world, she would have. She would have yelled at him to call her by her surname, hit him a few times, and stormed off.  
  
She instead said nothing, staring in the corner aimlessly, choosing to put her focus on the trashcan, where the broken glass shimmered in the light.  
  
"Tonks," he said, pulling a chair out.  
  
"What do you want?" she asked, continuing to stare away.  
  
"I heard what happened," he said, his voice cracking.  
  
She snorted, laughing with a hard edge to her voice. "So you've heard too? Who else knows? And for Merlin's sake, don't say that Snape does. That would be just humiliating, having him know that Remus Lupin kissed me, and then ran away."  
  
His magic eye swirled around. "He doesn't know; only I do."  
  
She turned to him. "And how's that?"  
  
He looked up. "I hear things."  
  
"Great," she said sarcastically. "You hear little voices inside that head of yours. What do they tell you about Remus and I?"  
  
"I know that you love him, for one thing."  
  
Tonks gripped her mug tighter. "You don't know a thing, Moody."  
  
"I do know quite a few things, Tonks," he said.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "You're sounding like Dumbledore now."  
  
He gave a one-shouldered shrug. "Not surprised. Damn man is nuts, but wise beyond his years."  
  
"I wouldn't be classifying people as 'nuts', if I were you," she said snidely.  
  
He growled, almost glad to hear her insults. "Stop moping and just talk to the boy, already."  
  
"Did those voices tell you that too?"  
  
"No, that's something I wanted to say."  
  
She sighed. "Why do you have to care so damn much?"  
  
He gave her a strange smile. "You young people's business is my life."  
  
"I'm not a young person."  
  
"Fine. You annoying people's business in my life."  
  
"I don't like you, Moody."  
  
"The same to you, milady."  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "You really think Remus and I, well-"  
  
"Yes, you should talk to him. Yes, you should make up. Yes, you should get married and have kids, so I can trouble them as well."  
  
She stifled a laugh.  
  
"Good to see you laugh," he muttered. "This place has been as quiet as mine is, and that's a damn shame."  
  
"You're a good man, Moody," she said. She scrunched up her face, and her hair immediately turned from black, this morning's color, to dark purple, long and wavy down to her shoulders.  
  
"That's my girl," he said, patting her hair. "Now go and say you're sorry."  
  
"Yes, sir," she said, her face breaking into a smile. She kissed him on the cheek, and he scowled, waving her away.  
  
"Go kiss the boy somewhere better, now." He gave her sinister grin.  
  
She mock-saluted him. "Got it."  
  
~*~  
  
"Remus."  
  
Remus Lupin shot up in his bed, darting his head from side to side. He wasn't being delusional-he had just heard his name.  
  
So why wasn't anyone in the room?  
  
He closed his eyes, wiping his hands over his face. A cold sweat ran down his body, though it wasn't particularly hot in the room.  
  
"Merlin," he muttered, throwing his hands back beside him. "I'm truly going insane."  
  
He heard footsteps go by the hallway. A resounding clunk and the slam of a door meant that Moody had come, seen, and left. He wondered where Tonks was.  
  
"Stop thinking about her, Lupin," he said. "Oh great," he mumbled. "Now I'm talking to myself. Great, just great." He rolled to his side, staring at the blank wall of the room.  
  
His eyes remained closed as he prayed for sleep to re-claim him. All he'd been doing lately was sleeping, taking at least two goblets of the Sleeping Draught he had found in the bathroom per night.  
  
His body was beginning to get heavy, his eyelids remaining shut as he felt sleep overtake him again. No one could stay awake after taking two goblets of the potion an hour ago.  
  
He was dreaming again.  
  
It was foggy, dark, and hazy. The sky-if there was one-was gray. A heavy mist surrounded wherever he was, and Remus shivered, wrapping numb arms around his thin body.  
  
"Hello?" he called, seeing someone sitting further down.  
  
"Who's there?" he shouted, waving one cold arm at the person.  
  
"Can you hear me?" he said, nearly yelling as loud as he could.  
  
The person finally turned their head. Remus broke into a run, hoping to keep his blood flowing after nearly freezing while standing there.  
  
He stopped.  
  
And stared.  
  
Sitting cross-legged on the ground was Sirius.  
  
But Sirius was dead.  
  
"Moony," he said cheerfully, his voice echoing off the mist. "Have a seat."  
  
"S-S-S-Sirius?" he gasped, falling to his knees. "I-I-Is that really you?"  
  
Sirius laughed heartily. " 'Course it's me."  
  
"But y-y-y-you're dead!"  
  
Sirius rolled his eyes. "I fell behind a veil, and I'm in limbo, but not dead. You're such a pessimist."  
  
Remus hugged his best friend with a vengeance. Sirius made choking noises and patted him on the back. "Moony, geez, you're hurting me!"  
  
He let go. "I can't believe I'm seeing you," he whispered, running his eyes over him.  
  
Sirius grinned. "I saw what you were up to." He gave Remus a sinister grin, elbowing him. "Kissing my little cousin? Moony, you dog."  
  
Remus' face darkened. "So you saw that?"  
  
Sirius gave him an amused look. "Of course I saw that, buddy. You and Tonks are getting close. Guess it's only a matter of time until you share beds."  
  
Remus turned a furious red. "That'll never happen."  
  
Sirius chuckled. "Tonks has never had a steady mate anyway, you'll be the first! Think of it! My little cousin with my best friend, what a great thing!"  
  
Remus shook his head. "I could never be with her. You're gone, and she's, well, erm."  
  
Sirius looked at him, seriously for once. "Moony, going behind the veil taught me one thing. Never give up on your dreams." He held up his hands. "I'm not there to live out my dreams, and so I want you to live yours."  
  
Remus touched one hand. "I-I couldn't. I-I think I loved you."  
  
Sirius embraced him. "You did, but now there's someone else in your life. I'll still be here for you though, Moony."  
  
"Love her, okay?"  
  
Remus turned around. "I think I hear her."  
  
Sirius listened; his hand cupped around one ear. "Yeah, that's her." He gave Remus a hard slap on the back, sending him backwards.  
  
"Wait!" shouted Remus.  
  
"I'll see you soon, Moony!" yelled Sirius. "Take care of my cousin!"  
  
"And make sure you sleep with her once!"  
  
~*~  
  
"Remus. Remus. REMUS!"  
  
Remus opened his eyes. Facing him was Tonks, her hands shaking him. Her purple hair tumbled over her shoulders, and her eyes looked worried.  
  
"You all right?" she asked, removing her hand.  
  
"Yeah, fine," he said, running a hand through his hair. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah." She smiled, sitting back and looking relieved.  
  
"I heard Moody," he said.  
  
She nodded. "He was here earlier. We talked."  
  
He grinned. "About me?"  
  
She smiled back. "Maybe."  
  
"I had a dream about Sirius," he said.  
  
Her eyes flickered. "Did he say anything to you?"  
  
Remus flushed, remembering the conversation. "A little."  
  
"What did he say?" Her eyes were powerful, glowing even in the dim light. For a moment Remus was lost in them.  
  
"He wanted me to take care of you. To be respectful, caring, and loving."  
  
She shifted her weight. "I see." She looked at him. "Do you want to be respectful, caring, and loving to me?"  
  
He sat up, his face once again close to hers.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Her heart surged with heat, beating twice as fast. He embraced her tightly, smelling lavender and coffee on her robes. She hugged him back, burying her face his hair, lightly scented with the aroma of Sirius.  
  
She knew that he had seen Sirius, touched him, and then came back to pass round the scent.  
  
"I think I love you," he whispered.  
  
"I think I do too."  
  
He trailed his hand through her purple locks, trailing his lips down her neck.  
  
"He told me one more thing," said Remus.  
  
"What?"  
  
He gave her a mischievous smile. "Sirius said to sleep with you."  
  
Tonks groaned. "That bastard," she said, toying with a strand of Remus' hair.  
  
Remus shrugged, pretending to be hurt. "Next time I see Sirius, I'll tell him that."  
  
Tonks heaved a sigh. "Well, it's not like you're Snape or anything." She looked him over. "Or un-attractive," she added.  
  
"Is that a compliment?" he said lightly.  
  
She kissed him. "I suppose so."  
  
"Are you going to sleep with me?"  
  
She shoved him. "Not yet, you perv." She looked up. "Sirius, you freak!"  
  
And somewhere in limbo, Sirius smiled.  
  
~*~  
  
A/N 2: oh ho ho, Sirius is a naughty boy, isn't he? Well, this is a little more suggestive than I usual, but, well, I do so love Remus/Tonks. This is seriously turning into a full-fledged fic, so watch out for chapter two, part three!!  
  
It'll turn this little world upside-down. 


End file.
